Ann reached across and touched her hand for a moment. Katie was moved. Though she was obviously astonished and frightened for her, not once had Ann shown any sign of passing judgement.

Katie blushed then, almost afraid to ask what she needed to.

‘Aren’t you ashamed to have anything to do with me? My mom is – why shouldn’t you be?’

‘Your mom?’

‘She’s disowned me.’ It was a terrible thing to have to admit. Tears welled in her eyes. She cried so easily these days. Beneath the smouldering anger that gave her strength, there was such deep hurt.

‘I’ll help you – any way I can,’ Ann said. ‘Look, where’re you living?’ When Katie told her she looked pleased. ‘Oh, that’s not far from us! Look, Katie, I can’t say I’m not surprised – you of all people. I can hardly take it in, to tell you the truth. But I don’t s’pose you wanted things to turn out like this, and if I was you I’d be frightened to death. I don’t envy you one bit. But we’re pals, aren’t we? Anything I can do to help, I will. And I’m sure our mom could ask around and see if she can gather up a few clothes for you. I mean . . .’ She hesitated. ‘You could come to us for a bit, if you needed to.’

Katie wiped her eyes, though more tears threatened to follow at this touching kindness. Ann was one of nine: how on earth did she think they could fit another one in!

‘Oh, Ann, it’s ever so good of you, but I wouldn’t dream of it.’

‘Well, who else’ve you got – what about the rest of your family?’

‘There isn’t any more of it. There’s Mom’s friend Enid – she’s kind, but I don’t like to put too much on her. It’s not fair.’

Ann leaned forward fiercely. ‘What about him? The father? What does he think he’s playing at?’

‘Playing,’ Katie said bleakly. ‘That was exactly what he was doing, and nothing else. And I, poor stupid little idiot, thought he actually cared about me. He did give me a bit of money.’

‘Mighty big of him,’ Ann said. ‘God Almighty, men – some of ’em want stringing up, that they do. But don’t you worry, love. I’ll find out who the midwife is down your way. No one need know you’re not married – we’ll all pull together.’

‘Miss O’Neill?’

Katie looked up from her typewriter to see Miss Poulter’s thin form looking down on her, framed by the long window behind her. Her hair was so tightly curled that it looked as if she set it with glue.

‘Mrs O’Neill,’ Katie corrected her.

‘Ah, yes.’ Miss Poulter’s mouth twitched as if she intended to smile, but it didn’t happen. ‘A word, please. Would you come outside?’

They walked across the office together, the other girls typing frantically as Miss Poulter cast her eye over them. Katie walked holding her back very straight, hoping the loose dress she had bought hid the swell of her at the front, but she knew really that it didn’t. There were only two months to go.